Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-09-01

river begin TO descend. From hence
across to the Canadian side the cata-
ract. continues itself in one undated
line. But the line is very far from be-
ing direct or straight. After stretching
for some little way from the shore to a
point in the river which is reached by
a wooden bridge at the end of which
stands tower upon the rock - after
stretching to this, the line of the ledge
bends inwards against the flood-in, and
in, and in, till one is led to think that
the depth of that horse -shoe is immeas-
urable. 1t has been cut with no stint
ing hand. A monstrous cantle has been
worn back out of the center of the rock,
so that the fury of the waters converges,
and the spectator, as he gazes into the
hollow with wishful eyes, fancies that
he Can hardly trace ont the centre OF
the abyss.
Go down to the end of that wooden
bridge, seat yourself on the rail. and
there sit till all the outer world is lost
to you. There is no grander spot about
Niagara than this. The waters are alb,
solutely around you. II you have that
power of eye-conlrol which is so nee
essary to the full enjoyment of scenery,
you will see nothing but the water.
You will certainly hear nothing else;
and the sound, beg you to remember.
is not an ear-cracking, agon, zing crash
and clang of noises; but is melodious,
and soft withal, though loud as thun-
der. 1t fills your ears. and, rs it were,
envelops them, but at the same time
you can speak to your neighbor with
out an effort. But at this place, and
in these moments, the less of speaking
| should say, the better. There is nc
grander spot than this. Here, seated
on the rail of the bridge, you will not
see the whole depth of the fall In
looking at the grandcst works of IA
ture, and of art, too, | fancy, 1t Is
never well to see all. There should
be something left to the imagination,
and much should be half concealed in
mystery. The greatest charm of II
mountain range is the wild feeling
that there must be strange. unknown,
desolate worlds in those far-otf valleys
beyond. And so here at Niagara
that convcrging rush of waters
may fall down, down at once
into hell of rivers for what the eye
can see. 1t is glorious to watch them
in their first curve over the rocks.
They come green as bank of emcr'
aids; but with lilful, flying color, a
though conscious that in one moment
more they would be dashed into spray
and rise into air, pale as driven snow.
The vapor rises high into the air and is
gathered there, visible always as Il per-
but the DuIN urIrtVJ pHer the cataract
lower hollow of the horseshoe is like
tumult of snow. This you will no
fully see from your seat on the rail
The head of it rises ever and anon on
of that caldron below, but the caldror
| itself will be invisible. 1t is ever SC
far down-far rs your Imagination car
sink it. But your eyes will rest tut
upon the curve of the waters. The
shape you will be looking ut is that o.
of horseshoe. but of horse shoe
mraculouSlv deep from toe to heel
and this depth becomes greater us you
sit there. That which ut first was onl,
great and beautiful becomes gigantic
and sublime, till the mind is at a los,
to find an epithct for its own Use. TIC
realize Niagara you must sit there til
you see nothing else than that which
| you have come to sec You will
find yourself among tho water,
as though you belonged tt
them. The cool liquid green will run
through your veins, and the voice o.
the cataract will be the expression of
your own heart. You will fall AS the
bright waters fall, rushing down into
your new world with no hesitation
and with no diSmay; and you will
rise aga II as the SPRAYS rises, bright,
beautiful and pure. Then you will
flow away in your course to the I'M
comprised, distant and eternal ocean
And now we will cross the water
and with this object will return b,
the bridge out of Goat Island on the
mainland of the American side. Blu
as we do so let me say that one of The
great charms of Niagara consists in
this: That over and above that one
| great object of wonder and beauty,
there is SO much little loneliness
| loneliness especially of water. | mean
There are little rivuets running here
and there over little falls. with pen
dant boughs above them. and stone.
shining under their shallow depths
AS the visitor stands and look.
through the trees, the rapids glitter
before him and then hide themselve.
behind islands. They glitter and
| sparkle in far distances under the
bright foliage till the remembrance i.
lost and one knows not which way the
! run.
Having mounted the hill on tn,
Canada side you Will walk on towarc
the falls. As | have said before, yol
will from this side look directly into
the full circle of the upper cataract,
while you will have before you at youl
left hand the whole expanse of The
lesser fall For those who desire t
see all at a glance, who wish to com
prise the whole with their eyes, and t.
leave nothing TO be guessed, nothing
to be surmlscd, this no doubt, is IT,,
best point of view.
You will be covered with spray a,
you walk up to the ledge of rocks, bu
do not think that the spray will hur
you. If a man gets wet through going
to his daily work, cold, catarrh. cough
and all their attendant evils may be ex
pected; but these maladies usually spar,
the tourist. Change of air. plenty o.
air, excellence of air and increased
exercise make these things powerless
! | should therefore bid Won IN disra Va r.